Prevalence of Myxobolus arcticus (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) in Five Species of Pacific Salmon in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
Abstract.- Five species of Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) captured on the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea were examined for the freshwater brain myxosporean Myxobolus arcticus. In the western North Pacific Ocean, the prevalence of parasite infection was relatively high in ch...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.424.3502 http://salmon.fra.affrc.go.jp/kankobutu/srhsh/data/srhsh362.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract.- Five species of Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) captured on the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea were examined for the freshwater brain myxosporean Myxobolus arcticus. In the western North Pacific Ocean, the prevalence of parasite infection was relatively high in chinook (0. tshawytscha, 57.5%), sockeye (0. nerka, 30.4%), and coho (0. kisutch, 18.8%) salmon, but low in chum (0. keta, 6.7%) and pink (0. gorbuscha, 0%) salmon, being reflected by a mode of freshwater life of host fish before their seaward migration. Distinct regional differences in prevalence were observed in chinook salmon: infected fish were frequently found in the western North Pacific Ocean (especially west of 170'E), but rarely in the eastern North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, suggesting the restricted geographical distribution of M. arcticus in chinook salmon. The parasite may be useful as a biological Indicator to separate the continental origin of high-seas chinook salmon. |
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